


A Talk

by mickeylover303



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-10
Updated: 2011-08-10
Packaged: 2020-01-14 21:30:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18484747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mickeylover303/pseuds/mickeylover303
Summary: And really, isn't this the kind of conversation he already had with Itachi?





	A Talk

“So, um… how long have you known Itachi?”

 

“Longer than you’ve known Itachi’s little brother.”

 

“That long, huh?”  Because anything over a few months should be considered a long time, and Naruto grabs his collar, pulls it away from his neck, lets it fall back against his skin with a barely audible snap.

 

A glance at the digital thermostat on the wall says it’s twenty-four degrees.

 

Lowering his hand, Kisame tilts the pocketknife with a length that can’t possibly be legal in any municipality of Japan.  He watches Naruto through the blade offering a small window of reflection.

 

No way it’s only twenty-four degrees in here.

 

“Nervous over there, Sunshine?”

 

“Who’s nervous?” Naruto says, clears his throat without opening his mouth, and then repeats himself.  That first attempt came out just a little bit too high.

 

“Unless you’re nervous?  Cause I’m not nervous.  I mean, there’s no reason for me to be nervous, right?  I just wanted to meet Sasuke…early.” 

 

Is Kisame actually…?

 

Naruto tries not to stare—fails—but it’s pretty hard to completely ignore the way Kisame’s using a knife to file his nails.  Casually.  Like it’s some kind of everyday thing people would do.

 

“I’m early—not nervous.”  Definitely not nervous even if he’s still not sure how Kisame’s place became a detour on his way to meet Sasuke.  He’s still not sure how Kisame found him, much less knew where he was going.  The fact the little noodle shop where he’s supposed to be meeting Sasuke happens to be right across from Kisame’s place probably has something to do with it, though.

 

But it’s not like Sasuke would set him up like that on purpose.

 

Maybe.

 

“Just asking.”   Kisame continues to toy with the knife, continues to show Naruto how much more shiny it can get with the light that’s positioned above Naruto flickering from it.

 

Naruto tells himself that wasn’t a shiver running down his spine.

 

“Of course there’s no reason to be nervous,” Kisame says.  “Itachi’s not here.”

 

“Oh, okay.”  Naruto nods with a sigh that makes his shoulders less tense.  When he realises how easily such an open display of relief can be misread, however, his shoulders tense right back up.  Quickly, he adds, “Not that Itachi makes me nervous.  He’s not a make-other-guys-nervous kind of guy.”

 

“You don’t say.”

 

“ _But_ ,” Naruto stresses with a wag of his right finger, “even if Itachi was here, he already knows where me and Sasuke are going.”

 

 “So he does.”

 

Naruto lets his finger fall in his lap and covers it with his left hand.  “He does.”

 

Kisame turns the knife over, does it again, goes back and forth while sparing the occasional look in Naruto’s direction. 

 

Naruto scratches his arm thorough the sleeve of his grey jacket, squashing the urge to bring his legs a little closer together.

 

“How old did you say you were again?” Kisame says.  “Somewhere around Sasuke’s age—sixteen, right, Sunshine?”

 

“Next week.  I’m still fifteen.”

 

“You’ve had a decent childhood.”

 

More than decent, Naruto wants to think out loud, yet since Sasuke’s been helping him get better at not doing that sort of thing, instead, he says, “A childhood I’m still living, yeah.”

 

Kisame chortles, because that’s so not a chuckle or any kind of recognisable laughter.  Who actually chortles anymore?  “I like you, kid.”

 

That’s a good thing.  To know he’s almost kind of possibly passed whatever test from Itachi’s friend should be a good thing.  Except the way Kisame’s looking at him makes Naruto feel it’s not as good as a thing as he wants it to be.

 

Kisame glances at his watch.  “You still have time.”

 

“Time?”  Naruto looks down at his own watch, a gift he didn’t have to coerce from Sasuke for his birthday.  “Time, oh—time.  Does that mean I can—?”

 

“You can stay a little while longer.” 

 

Naruto bites his lower lip.

 

Kisame curls his fingers into his palm and goes back to filing the nails on his other hand.  He starts to hum.

 

Unconsciously—unwillingly—Naruto begins to tap his foot a little faster than Kisame’s beat.  He’s surprised he was able to last for more than a few seconds, fingers twitching on top of his knee before he blurts out, “Are you seriously filing your nails with that knife?  How are you even—?”

 

“Itachi’s not the only one you’ll have to watch out for.”

 

After a moment, concluding a pause long enough to seem thoughtful, Naruto says, “You’re really creeping me out right now.”

 

Kisame reveals two rows of ridiculously prominent sharp teeth.  The dark blue streaks in his hair aside, because those are actually kind of cool, guy can’t be normal.

 

“I know.”


End file.
